Fw: [chicago-aneinu] Japan Bochur Will Be Able to Serve Duration of Sentence in Israel

Yeshiva World

Dramatic Development: Japan Bochur Will Be Able to Serve Duration of Sentence in Israel

Sunday February 7, 2010

Some good news has emerged from the matzav of the three bochurim currently incarcerated in Japan. Matzav.com has learned that Yosef Bando, Yosef ben Ita Rivka, the youngest of the  will be able to serve the duration of his sentence in Israel. Yosef was sentenced back on April 30 to 5-8 years in jail and a $40,000 fine.

In this dramatic development, Yosef's lawyer reached an agreement with Japan's court system to have Yosef extradited to Israel in the coming months. This is a significant achievement, because, in general, according to Japanese law, a sentence cannot be spent in prison abroad.

When taking into account the time he has already spent in jail and the reduction of his imprisonment for good behavior, Yosef has three years in prison remaining on his sentence.

The development has been greeted with great satisfaction by the askanim - including Dayan Chaim Yosef Dovid Weiss of Antwerp, Ukrainian Chief Rabbi Rav Yaakov Bleich, Rabbi Aharon Nezri of London, and Reb Meilich Bindiger - and others who have worked continuously on behalf of the boys and to reach this agreement with the legal system in Japan. The effort was not without major difficulties, however.

At the same time, enormous efforts are being made on behalf of the other boys, Yoel Goldstein, Yoel Zev ben Mirel Risa Chava, and Yaakov Yosef Greenwald, Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel. Yaakov Yosef's closing arguments were delivered less than two weeks ago. Mordechai Tzivin, who resides in Eretz Yisroel and deals in international law and specializes in cases of Israelis incarcerated overseas, was Yaakov Yosef's attorney. Yaakov Yosef awaits the court's ruling, which is slated to be handed down in two months, on Wednesday, March 24.

{Noam Amdurski and Dovid Bernstein of Matzav.com Newscenter}